Thornbushes and Moonlight
by SweetDragonSeeker
Summary: Willowshine spends some time with the last warrior you'd expect. First in the Rarities Series.
1. Meeting By the Thornbush

**Hi everybody! I have finally aquired my own account (a gazzilion thanks to hjaltalin's owl for sharing hers with me until I could get this one) and I am reposting all my stories here. Please enjoy!**

**I don't own it.  
Just a moment of warriors' randomness. Enjoy.  
CCC**

"Hold still." Willowshine hissed, glaring darkly at the black warrior as she smeared herbs on the punture wounds in his leg. "You shouldn't be on this side of the border anyway, much less in a thorn bush!" she berated him. He looked at her, eyes narrowed against the sting of the herbs.

"You know why I'm on this side of the border, and as for the thorn bush, what else was I supposed to do with Mothwing wandering all over like a lost soul? Where is she now, anyway?" he asked. Willowshine snorted at his excuses, but answered his question.

"She's gone back to camp. Where I should be right now." she added. I was his turn to snort.

"Will you stop acting like you're furious with me?" he grumbled, flexing his leg and glancing at her. She maintained her irritated look for a moment, then relented, her gaze softening.

"Does your leg feel any better?" she asked, flicking it lightly with her tail.

"Yes. Thank you." he replied, leaning forward to touch his nose to her ear. She purred softly, leaning into his touch.

"I _am _glad to see you." she murmured. "But I was worried; Mothwing almost caught you."

He purred. "She didn't though. And I'm happy to see you too." he twined his tail with hers. They sat like that for a while, basking in each company and gazing up at the starlit sky, until a hint of grey on the horizon brought them back to reality.

"I have to get back." Willowshine whispered, pulling herself away from his side. "They'll be wondering where I am."

He nodded, getting to his feet and nuzzling her cheek gently. "Next time?" he asked softly. She hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"Quarter moon." she murmured. He nodded and watched as she turned to go. As she did, she glanced back over her shoulder at him, a mischievious glint in her eyes. "And next time, try and stay out of the thorns, you stupid furball."

Breezepelt purred, watching her vanish in the direction of the RiverClan camp, then turned and bounded back toward his own territory, his way illuminated by the light of the waning moon.

**CCC  
No flames, but do review, I love reviews. Thanx. Reviewers are awesome.  
~Cat**


	2. All Night Herb Gathering?

**I own nothing. **

**I was encouraged to continue with this, so I am. Please bear with me.  
~~~**

Willowshine ignored the feeling of fear in her stomach as she returned to the RiverClan camp, mouth full of herbs she'd gathered on the way. She only hoped Mothwing hadn't noticed her extended absence.

She had.

"Out gathering herbs? All night?" her mentor asked skeptically when Willowshine deposited the herbs in their piles.

"Yes." Willowshine nodded, nudging a pile back into place with her foot. "I couldn't find any catmint." she added apologetically. Mothwing gave her a long, searching look, then nodded slowly, accepting the lie. Willowshine's fur prickled guiltily, but she ignored it.

"Well, I hope all that time you spent was worth it." Mothwing mewed, eyeing the piles of herbs critically. Then she looked at Willowshine again, and her gaze softened. "Are you alright?" she asked her apprentice gently. "You've been very preoccupied lately. If something's wrong, you can tell me, you know that."

"I know." Willowshine replied, glancing at her golden-dappled mentor. "I'm fine Mothwing, really. I just need some sleep."

Mothwing nodded, moving toward the entrance to the den. "Well, you rest, then. I'm going to check on Mosspelt's kits."

"'Kay." Willowshine curled up in her nest, listening to the river and the voices of her clanmates outside. Then her thoughts turned to Breezepelt. She shouldn't- couldn't- fall in love with him; she was a medicine cat, and he was from another clan; but she'd done it anyway. If anyone found out, there would be trouble, and lots of it, she feared. But somewhere deep down inside, a voice whispered, _'He's worth it,' _as she fell off to sleep.

**~~~  
So, what do you think?... Please let me know, I always love to hear from you. No flames, though, please. ~Seeker**


	3. No Fooling Him

**Don't own it. **

**So here we go, chapter 3. Hope it's good.**

Breezepelt felt his father's eyes on him the moment he got back to camp, but he ignored him, heading instead straight to the fresh-kill pile to drop off the rabbit he'd caught before heading for the warriors' den. Crowfeather intercepted him before he reached the entrance.

"Where've you been?" Crowfeather asked, watching his son carefully through narrowed blue eyes. Breezepelt tried to shove past him, but the older warrior stepped in the way again. "Where have you been?" he repeated.

Breezepelt gave him a glare. "Hunting. Not that it's your business." he snapped.

"You haven't been hunting all night." Crowfeather said. It wasn't a question.

"And how would you know?" Breezepelt growled.

"Because I know the look on your face." Crowfeather replied quietly. "I once wore it myself."

Breezepelt pushed past his father and into the den.

"I won't tell you to stop going to see her." Crowfeather's voice said quietly from behind him. "But I will tell you that nothing stays a secret forever." his voice was sad. "And someday, you'll have to make a choice. Choose carefully. You'll have to live with it the rest of your life. And so will she." the pain in his voice was strong enough to make Breezepelt turn to look at him. But by the time he did, Crowfeather was gone.

**So, what do you think? I have the rest all written out now, so updates should be pretty regular. Hope you enjoy. Review and let me know. ~Seeker**


	4. Mothwing's Discovery

**And here we go, chapter... what chapter is this? At the moment I'm not sure... anyway, still don't own nothing, still love reviews. I'm thinking of making this fic the first in a series of Wacky Pairings fics. Review and let me know if you think I should, and any suggestions of rare or wacky pairings to include would be welcome. Anyway, on with the show!**

Two moons passed, and Willowshine continued to vanish from camp at odd moments and return with a mouthful of herbs far too small to account for all the time she'd been gone. Mothwing grew more and more worried about her apprentice; something was wrong, and Willowshine wouldn't tell her what. So one evening, when Willowshine left camp, Mothwing followed.

For a while, it seemed that all was fine; Willowshine meandered around the various herb patches, pausing here and there to examine their leaves. But, just as Mothwing was getting ready to give up and return to camp, Willowshine's manner changed. There was an air of suppressed excitement around her as she headed for the border with WindClan.

Worry prickled Mothwing's fur. Why would her apprentice go to the border?

When Willowshine reached the border she padded along it for a while until she reached a large bush with big leaves, where she stopped and settled down to wait. Mothwing crouched beneath a nearby bush, waiting to find out what drew Willowshine to this spot. They didn't have to wait long. Only a few moments after they had gotten settled, the sound of approaching pawsteps reached their ears.

Mothwing stared in dismay as a Windclan warrior padded into view, across the border and over to Willowshine, who greeted him with a purr. He purred back and rasped his tongue over her ears, nuzzling her cheek with his own. Mothwing looked closely at him, trying to discern his identity, but his fur was dark and she couldn't make him out, and she was not familiar with the scents of the WindClan cats.

Willowshine and her warrior cuddled and murmured together until the moon began to set in the distance. Then the warrior licked her cheek affectionately, murmured something in her ear, and departed as swiftly as he'd come, vanishing back into the darkness across the border. Willowshine watched him go, then turned and bounded back toward the RiverClan camp.

Mothwing waited for several moments, then followed, her heart heavy. She knew what was wrong now. Her apprentice was in love.

**So? Review and give me your opinion. On both the chapter and the series idea. Thanx! ~Seeker**


	5. Nightcloud's Discovery

**Still don't own it. Here's the next chap. What do you think, series or not? Any Ideas? **

Crowfeather was not the only one who'd noticed Breezepelt's not infrequent disappearances from camp. Nightcloud had noticed too. She grew worried about her precious son's well-being, and decided to follow him one evening when he slipped out of the camp. She grew more and more wary as he bounded closer and closer to the RiverClan border. When he reached it, he bounded straight across and kept running. Nightcloud paused at the border, looking after him for a moment, then followed, ducking under a bush when she realized that he hadn't gone very far. He was sitting beside a RiverClan she-cat, his tail twined with hers.

"Missed you," he was murmuring softly, nuzzling her cheek with his own.

"I missed you too," the she-cat's voice was too quiet for Nightcloud to make out who spoke, and her grey coat was no help either; many RiverClan cats seemed to be grey these days.

As they talked quietly together, Nightcloud closed her eyes, focusing on the scents; if she knew this cat, she'd be able to tell who she was by scent.

The scents drifted all around her, and she took time to sort them out. There were the usual scents of plants and prey, Breezepelt's WindClan scent, and the RiverClan cat's...

Willowshine! The young medicine cat! Nightcloud's worry turned to anger. How could he? How could he do this to her, knowing what his father had done?

She gave a yowl of fury and betrayel that she didn't bother to hide and took off, bounding back toward WindClan. She heard Breezepelt and Willowshine's startled mewos behind her, and then the sound of persuing pawsteps as her son chased after her. She didn't look back to see if he was gaining. She just kept running. He'd betrayed her, she thought bitterly. His father would be so proud.

**So, what d'ya think? Let me know! ~Seeker**


	6. His Father's Son

**I-i Stiiiiill dooooon't ooooown iiiiiiiiit!**

**Here's the next chapter!**

Breezepelt chased Nightcloud all the way back to camp. She reached it before him, however, and by the time he got there she'd made enough of a racket to attract the attention of most of the clan, who were now crowded in the camp's center. She glared coldly at him as he skidded to a halt before her. He flattened his ears. He knew what she was going to do, and he refused to be ashamed. Love should not bring shame. His clanmates stared from him to Nightcloud, trying to figure out what was the matter.

Nightcloud sneered at him.

"Did you enjoy your walk across the border, Breezepelt? Did you think no one would find out?" she hissed.

Breezepelt stood proudly before her, ears back, eyes defiant. Around him, he could hear his clanmates whispering.

Nightcloud raised her voice, addressing the whole clan now.

"This cat has broken the warrior code!" she announced. Silence fell around them. "He has fallen in love with a cat- a medicine cat- from another clan!" her eyes turned cold as she looked back at her son. "He does not deserve to ba called a warrior of WindClan. He is no son of mine." her gaze slid toward her mate. "He is his father's son." She turned her back on them and stormed into the warriors' den. Breezepelt stood tall and proud, enduring the gazes of his clanmates until they too turned and walked away. All except for Crowfeather, who remained where he was, looking at his son with an unreadable expression in his eyes.

**Yes, short chapter, I know. So, whatcha think anyway? Lemme know! ~Seeker**


	7. Mistystar's Friend

**I still don't own warriors; believe me, you'd know if I did. **

**So here's the next chapter. Only 2 more after this! I have decided to try a series, and I think I'm gonna call it the Surprise Story Series. If you guys have any Ideas for a series title though, I'd be glad to hear them. Enjoy!**

News traveled fast, Willowshine thought sadly. Her mentor and her leader had both spoken to her on the matter, trying to get her to renounce her love and promise to focus on being a medicine cat. She refused. She loved Breezepelt; she couldn't betray him like that.

It was painful to see the disappointment in the eyes of her clanmates each day, especially in those of her mentor, but she refused to give in. She could hunt as well as any other cat, and if they decided that she was no longer fit to be a medicine cat, so be it. They could take the title, but not the skills she'd learned under Mothwing's guidance.

Shadows were dancing actoss the surface of the river three suns after Willowshine's talk with Mothwing, interdispersed with glittering patches of sparkling sunlight. Willowshine was sitting at the river's edge, gazing down into the water, when Mistystar padded over to sit beside her.

"Willowshine," she began softly, "I know it's hard, but you need to make a choice." she paused, waiting for Willowshine to speak. When she didn't, Mistystar continued, "You need to decide what you want more; him, or being a medicine cat."

When Willowshine still didn't answer, Mistystar murmured, "Willowshine, I had a- a really amazing friend when I was younger. She fell in love with a Thunderclan warrior. Both I and her warrior's friend tried to convince them to let go, but they wouldn't. she chose him, and died giving birth to his kits. If she hadn't chosen him, she would've lived; but she would have been miserable for the rest of her life."

Mistystar's blue eyes bored into Willowshine. "She was strong enough to make her choice, and I know you are too. Just be carefull what choice you make."

Slowly, Willowshine nodded, and with a last glance at her, Mistystar departed, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

**So, whatcha think? Lemme know! I love reveiws! :) ~Seeker**


	8. Make a Choice

**Still don't own it! Read and review! Any more ideas for a series? I've already got the next one planned! Anyway, read on!**

The shadows that blocked the moon from sight meant that tonight's gathering had been cancelled, but that hadn't stopped Breezepelt from going to the gathering place anyway. When he reached it, Willowshine was already there, sitting at the edge of the clearing and gazing up at the dark sky.

"Willowshine?" he asked hesitantly, pausing several tail-lengths from her. She started, and looked around at him; when she realized who he was, her gaze softened, and she padded over to sit beside him.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly, touching his nose to her ear. "I'm sorry about- well, I never meant for them to find out. Especially not like this." he whispered contritely. She gave a soothing purr.

"It's alright. They would've found out eventually. It was only a matter of time."

"Yeah." he nodded. She twined her tail with his. "What are we going to do?" he asked, very, very quietly. She glanced up at him, blue eyes wide.

"I don't know. We have to make a choice. We always knew we would."

"Never thought it would be this soon." he mumbled, burying his face in her soft fur.

"Neither did I." she agreed, voice barely audible. The wind whispered all around the clearing, stirring their fur as they sat there together, contemplating their future in soft voices. And as the clouds began to thin, allowing the moonlight to filter down into the clearing in thin, silvery beams, they made their choice.

**Yep, only one more chapter to go! Stay tooned! :) ~Seeker**


	9. He Learned to Swim

**Still don't own it. Promise.**

**Gasp! Last chapter! Epilogue! End of the line! We've finally reached it! It's short and sweet.**

Willowshine sat at the edge of the river, watching her mate play in the shallows with their three kits.

After that shadowy, moonless night, Breezepelt had joined Willowshine in RiverClan. He'd learned to swim and catch fish, and had carved himself a place in his new home. If not everyone accepted him, he ignored them in favor of those who did. It helped that Mistystar had been willing to give him the chance to prove himself, which he had done time and again.

Mothwing had taken a new apprentice when Willowshine chose love over healing, but Willowshine often aided her old mentor and was helping to train young Sprucepaw.

A sudden cry from one of the kits distracted Willowshine from her thoughts, and she looked up in time to see Breezepelt catch their only son, a dark grey tabby named Coalkit, and pull him back into the shallows beside his sisters, Rainkit, a small silver and black kit, and Aspenkit, a dark tortoiseshell.

As he placed Coalkit back in the safe water, Breezepelt's eyes flicked up to meet those of his mate, and his eyes glimmered with a happiness that was reflected in her sparkling gaze. She smiled, and so did he. They had made their choice. They had chosen eachother, and they couldn't be happier.

_Dedicated to hjaltalin's owl, who wanted a story in which the tom gives up his clan for the one he loves. You're awesome friend! _

**So, what do you think? Keep and eye out for the next installment of the Rarities series, **_**Borders and Mice**_**! Coming (very) soon! **

**(Thanks to Spiritgirl183 for the series name! :) ) Talk to ya'll later! ~Seeker**


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